Welcome to St. Peter’s Church where the splendour of Victorian stained-glass windows provides a back drop to meeting the social needs of the most vulnerable people, in the largest town on the Lleyn Peninsula.
Pwllheli is often regarded as the ‘capital of Llyn’ as it is a busy market town attracting hundreds of local people on a daily basis as well as being an important holiday town. As well as the weekly round of worship the church is also a busy social hub with weekly foodbanks, lunch clubs, Parents’ and Toddlers’ group, charity markets and drop-in events.
There has been a church serving the people of this town since ancient times. The first church was built by Beuno or his disciples about half a mile further north and served the tiny community of Denio sometime in the 6th century. An old cemetery still occupies that land. That first site saw many changes of building, simple structures to serve the small town which, by 1283, still consisted of only 20 dwellings. The life of the town was very much centred upon the port and ship-building yards of Pwllheli (literally ‘the salty pool’). Over the years the town expanded down the hill towards the sea and the siting of a new church became a priority. A new church was dedicated in 1834 and was known as St Peter’s church. That building survived only until 1887 when the present building was consecrated. The short life of the previous building suggests that it was poorly built was, it is said, ‘an ungainly and unadorned building’.
There are many interesting features in the church and perhaps one of them being the large colourful and majestic stained glass windows. Probably the finest of these is the one on the south aisle which dates to 1891 and depicts the ‘Presentation of Christ in the Temple’ or otherwise known as the Feast of Candlemass. This window is of special significance due to the rare dichroic glass that has been used in its production.
We look forward to welcoming you to our church.
Christine Williams 01758 612 050
Geraint Williams 07807 736750 | botacho@hotmail.com
